Warning signal for automobiles



Sept. 24, 1929.

-.R. H. GILBERT manna SIGNAL FOR AUTOIIOB'ILBS Filed March :51. 1926 service [no/fie ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 24, 1929 4 PATENT OFFICE RALPH H. GILBERT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WARNING SIGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILES Application. filed March 31, 1926, Serial No. 98,675.

This invention relates to warning Signals for automobiles, having for its principal ob j ect to provide signal means for automatically notifying drivers of other vehicles when the 5 vehicle is being rapidly retarded as by the application ofthe brake, in combination with means necessarily made effective before the brake is applied for giving them timely preliminary warning prior to operation of the brake.

To this end, it is a feature of the invention 1 that provision is made of means to exhibit a Slow or other warning signal whenever the foot of the driver is withdrawn from the foot accelerator,-and to exhibit a Stop or other danger signal as soon as the brake is applied. Since the service brake and the foot accelerator are arranged for operation by the same foot of the driver, the application of the brake requires that the foot be first Withdrawn from the accelerator, so that the signals are invariably displayed in proper sequence. The invention is not, however, limited to use in conjunction with a foot accelerator, as the preliminary signal may be operated advantageously from the hand feed lever in automobiles in which no foot accelerator is provided;

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawing there is shown diagrammatically the electrical apparatus and the operating means therefor whereby the novel signal mechanism is controlled.

The automobile battery 1 is connected through a conductor 2, manually operable switch 3, and conductor 4, with a switch contact member 5 which is normally in thepos.ition shown in the drawing and is mechanical- 40 1y connected by link 6 with the service brake 7.

In its normal position the contact member 5 engages a contact 8, which is connected through conductor 9 with a movable contact member 10. The contact member 10 is controlled by the foot accelerator 11, through a connection 12, the contact member 10 being pressed into engagement with the cooperating contact member 13 when the foot accelerator is released, and being withdrawn from engagement with the contact member 13 by the foot accelerator, when the foot is depressed. Contact member 13 is connected through a conductor 14, with a Warning light signal 15 marked Slow, which is connected to ground through a conductor 16.

There is also arranged'for cooperation with the contact switch 5, a contact member 17, into engagement with which the switch member 5 is moved by depression of the foot brake 7 to retard the vehicle. Contact member 17 is connected through a conductor 18, with a danger light signal 19 -marked Stop, that is grounded through the conductor 16. The clrcuit is completed to the battery through a conductor 20 which grounds one side of the battery. The foot accelerator and the service brake are arranged for alternative operation by a single foot of the driver, so that one or the other, but not both, may be depressed at any given moment. WVhen the vehicle is running and fuel is being fed by the accelerator, the contact member 5 is normally in engagement with contact 8, but the contact member 10 is held out of engagement with contact member 13 by the accelerator. Under these circumstances no current can flow through either the Slow or the Stop signal, the circuit to the former being open between the contacts 10 and 13, and the circuit to the latter being open between the contacts 5 and 17 When the operator has occasion to stop or retard the vehicle, he first withdraws his foot from the foot accelerator. This immediately causes the contact member 10 to be swung into engagement with contact member 13, completing the circuit through the Slow signal, which thus serves as a Warning to following motorists that the foot feed is no longer being used, and that the brake is apt to be applied. The operator then 0 steps on the foot brake 7, retarding the vehicle. The foot brake swings the switch contact member 5 out of engagement with the contact member 8, opening the circuit to the Slow. signal and extinguishing it, and into engagement with contact member 17 closing the circuit to the Stop signal, and lighting it.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that provision is made of a brake-com v i the feeding of fuel by the accelerator.

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without applying the nal will be operated. If the feeding of fuel trolled Stop signal indicating danger, and of a Slow signal, serving as a warning to be operated in advance of the Stop signal, the controls of the two signals being so arranged and so related that the normal mechanical operation of the vehicle will cause the signals invariably to ap ar in the proper sequence. It frequently appens that the operator of a vehicle, having retarded it by application of the brake and released the brake, will allow it to drift forward for a period before resu%in'g uring this period the Slowl si al will a ain be effective and will remain e ective unti the I driver has decided again to proceed rapidly,

at which time the depression of the foot accelerator willextinguish the Slow signal.

The manually operable switch 3" for rendering the described signal mechanism op erative or inoperative at will is preferably operated by the member that operates the ignition switch, this member being usually mounted on the dashboard of themachine.

By utilizing this means to operate the signal the need for providing a separate op erating means for the switch 3 is obviated, and provision is made for assuring that the foot, of an electrically operated warning signal, an operating circuit therefor including a switch 'member movable to circuit closing position by the release of the foot accelerator, an electrically operated danger signal, an operatin circuit therefor, and means operated by t e application of the foot brake, to break the circuit to the warning signal and to close the circuit to the danger signal.

3. In a motor vehicle, in combination, a brake, means for controllin the feeding of fuel to the motor, a pair o si als, means operated by the application of t e brake and by the release of the fuel feed control, re-

spectively to operate the respective signals, to give successive indications that the vehicle is to be retarded, and means operated by application of the brake to disable the signal operated by the fuel feed control.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature to this specification.

RALPH H. GILBERT.

signal means will be effective whenever the ear is in operation, and that it will not be left lighted when the car is parked or put away.

In case the Slow signal is arranged for operation by thehan'dfeed lever, as it would be on a Ford car, the Slow and Stop signals will not of necessity be operated in the sequence named. They will, nevertheless, cooperate to impart useful information to the drivers of other vehicles. Thus, if the brake is ap lied without moving the hand lever, the top signal will be operated at If the feeding;v of fuel is reduced is first reduced, and the brake is then applied, the Slow signal will first be operated and the Stop signal will then be operated and, due to the circuit arrangement deicribed, will extinguish the Slow signa Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention and parts of the improvements maybe used without others.

What I claim is: a

1. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a foot accelerator and a foot brake, arranged for alternative operation by the same foot, of a warning signal, means for operating saidwarning signal made effective by the reake, the Slow siglease of the foot accelerator, a danger signai m and means for operating said danger si ranged for alternative operation by the same 

